Black & Veatch named Hong Kong its Global Centre of Excellence for Buried Water Infrastructure. The announcement comes on the company’s 80th anniversary of delivering sustainable water infrastructure for the city’s approximately 7 million residents.

“The designation as a Global Centre of Excellence reflects the international leadership, experience and knowledge of Black & Veatch’s approximately 400 professionals in Hong Kong,” said Alan Man, vice president and managing director of Black & Veatch’s North Asia Pacific water business. “Our vision is to continue developing the talent of our professionals and grow our Hong Kong operations as an international center for engineering leadership, contributing to a range of meaningful and sustainable water-related works in our homeland and abroad.”

Black & Veatch began its Hong Kong operations in 1930 with its work on the Shing Mun Water Scheme. Since then, the company has been involved in the development of all of Hong Kong’s impounding reservoirs that capture and store critical fresh water supplies for the city. The company’s project history also includes the iconic High Island Water Scheme that was named one of the “Ten Engineering Wonders in Hong Kong” by the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers in 2000.

“We are proud of the role we have played in Hong Kong’s successful and sustainable water infrastructure programs,” said Len Rodman, chairman, president and CEO of Black & Veatch. “The Global Centre of Excellence designation demonstrates our commitment to remaining an enduring partner of the Water Supplies and Drainage Services Departments. Working together, we will navigate challenges associated with climate change, water conservation and economic uncertainty, while developing global best practices related to buried water infrastructure.”

To mark 80 years of partnership with Hong Kong, Black & Veatch also announced it will donate HK$200,000 (approximately US$25,000) to the Hong Kong Red Cross through its Building a World of Difference Foundation. The money, alongside expertise from volunteers from the company’s Hong Kong and Shenzhen offices, will be used to support projects that will provide clean and safe drinking water to residents in impoverished rural communities located in mainland China.